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LEN talk: School-based mental health support for children who speak English as an additional language (EAL)

Authors: Katie Howard and Darren Moore


Event details

Authors: Katie Howard and Darren Moore

 

In this seminar, colleague and LEN co-lead Katie Howard will present a paper she co-authored with Darren Moore. Everyone welcome.

Abstract: Children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) make up around 20% of the combined primary and secondary school population in England, a figure that is increasing year on year. The rise in the number of EAL pupils in England parallels an unrelated increase in the prevalence of mental health difficulties among young people. Thus, the number of multilingual children in England experiencing mental health difficulties is inevitably on the rise. With growing support in England for mental health services to be embedded into educational settings and delivered by educational mental health practitioners (EMHPs), this article investigates school-based mental health support in England for children who speak EAL. Fourteen EMHPs who administer low-intensity psychological therapies to EAL pupils in schools were interviewed and data were analysed using a critical realist-orientated thematic analysis. Results suggest that language barriers and differences do impact the accessibility and effectiveness of school-based mental health support for EAL pupils. Navigating multilingualism in therapeutic interventions with young people is complex and requires intersectional and interactional approaches that both encompass, and go beyond, language use. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.

Location:

Baring Court 202